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Bess Armstrong and new husband James Naughton want a baby, but she may be too , er, mature. At any rate, his daughter thinks so. They turn to kindly Dr. Bruce Weitz for artificial insemination and surprises happen. Armstrong and Naughton have to drag through a tasteless, sophomoric scene as they giggle over Naughton’s part in the proceedings; Armstrong’s line leans to crude.

Main trouble with the telefilm, though, is that the characters aren’t interesting, have pallid backgrounds and don’t make convincing pairs. Armstrong, Baio, Naughton and Greenwood do their best, but it’s uphill. Most of the actors, veterans of episodic TV, deliver mechanical characterizations.

Director Rooney does pull an effective moment from child actor Michael Brock when the boy hears he’s about to be adopted; that at least is a heart tugger.

Production looks OK, but isn’t up to the usual Cramer special standards. Tech credits are fine, but the extra details and trappings are missing. Yet vidpic’s a time-passer for sentimentalists hard up for contrived plotting and old-hat mother-baby sudsers.

Nbc Monday Night at the Movies Danielle Steel's Mixed Blessings

(Mon. (11), 9-11 p.m., NBC)

Production:
When Gabrielle Carteris, spoiled wife of decent sort Bruce Greenwood, hears she can't have a baby, she sulkily walks out on him and his feelings. As he succinctly says, "I don't believe this!"